Thomas armxt



(No Model.) Y l T. ARMAT. FINGER PROTEGTIOR.Y

Patented Jan. 31', 1893.

` Ziff/W05l i UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

THOMAS ARMAT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FINGER-PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming lpart of Letters Patent No. 490,733, dated January31, 1893. Application iiled August 20, 1892. Serial No. 443,650. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ARMAT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wash. ington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Finger-Protectors; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable Others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infinger-protectors. The object of the invention being, to produce athimble of such peculiar and novel construction whereby it shall beparticularly adapted for use in operating typewriting machines, torelieve and effectually protect the nger tips of the operator from'theinjurious effects incident to continuous practice. A further objectbeing to provide means, in a thimble, wherebyv the shock or concussionoccasioned by the action in operating a machine, shall be absorbed andreduced to a minimum before reaching the finger tip. A further objectbeing to provide a thimble, the tapering body portion thereof beingformed of guttapercha or any suitable material capable of long wear,strength and durability, and the cap portion thereof being preferablyformed of some yielding or elastic material, such as soft rubber, to actas a cushion to receive and absorb the shock; or both the taperingportion and the cap may be made of soft rubber, furthermore, theinterior formation of said body portion being such, that the fingernailshall be well protected, and receive no part of the shock; furthermore,means for obviating, to a great extent, the natural tendency of thatportion of the linger inclosed by said thimble to perspire; and nallythe object of the invention being to produce a thimble that shall bethoroughly eflicient in use and comparatively inexpensive ofmanufacture.

`lVith these objects in view, the invention consists in certain noveldetails, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter to be morefully described.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification,l wherein likeletters of reference-indicate corresponding parts in the several views,in which,

Figure 1;-V is a view in side elevation of one form of device embodyingmy improvements. Fig. 2;- is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig.,3;-isa similar view of a modification.

In the drawings: A, indicates a tapering body portion terminating at itssmaller end in a thickened cap portion 0L, the latter being preferablyformed of smaller diameter than the body portion, to facilitate andallow for the rapid action of an operator when using the device inconnection with a type writing machine. lo overcome theinjurious'effects resulting from the shocks and concussion occasioned bythe force of the blows necessary to properly operate the keys of a typewriting machine, the cap portion is reinforced or thickened as at d',whereby said shocks or concussion shall be almost wholly absorbed andreduced to a minimum before reaching the finger.

To obtain a proper position for the finger after being inserted into thethimble, that is to say, with the end of the finger nail out of contactwith the inner walls, the body portion is provided with an upwardlyprojecting stud having a hollowed out portion a3, forming an annularspace d2, for the recept-ion of the nail.

As above stated, the device may be formed entirely of soft rubber, oronly partly so and owing to the impervious nature of this material, thebody portion may be provided with a series of perforations a4, see Fig.3.

It will be particularly noted that various changes may be made in thedetail construction of the device, without materially departing from thegeneral idea involved.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is;-

1. In a thimble, a tapering body portion, a thickened cap portion formedat the smaller end thereof and interiorly of said body portion anupwardly projecting stud, substantially as specified.

2. In a thimble, a tapering bodyl portion having one or more beadsformed thereon and said body portion and the perforations7 as 1oterminating in a reduced and thickened cap specified. portion andinteriorly of said body portion an In testimony whereof I affixsignature in upwardly projecting and hoilowed out stud presence of tWoWitnesses.

5 With an annular space around the same, substantially as specified. u YTHOMAS ARMAT 3. In a thimble, a tapering body portion, re- Witnesses:duced at its smaller end to form a cap, the J. J. MALONE,

upwardly projecting stud on the interior of F. O. NORDEMAN.

